Monthly Museum Volunteer Orientation
2024-01-27 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-02-24 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-03-23 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-04-27 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-05-25 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
We want YOU to join our wonderful team of volunteers at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum!
Date: Every 4th Saturday except for June (no training), October & November (3rd Saturday) and December (no training)
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Learning Center
If you have a passion for Bristol and its musical legacy and love helping others, our museum volunteer program is the perfect fit for you!
Museum volunteers play a vital role in a number of key areas behind the scenes and on the front lines, such as working as a gallery assistant or docent, helping out in The Museum Store, working with the public at events, concerts, and programs, assisting with behind the scenes administrative or collections work and so much more! Our Museum Volunteer Orientation session gets you acquainted with every aspect of the museum to help you find your area of interest. Volunteer schedules are flexible and fun!
If you are interested in coming to our Museum Volunteer Training, call 423-573-1927 or email Myrissa at volunteercoordinator@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.

Museum Story Time - "Coat of Many Colors" by Dolly Parton
2024-02-02 10:30 - 11:30 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Friday, February 2, 2024
Time: 10:30 a.m. EST
Location: The Learning Center, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: Free and open to the public
Join us in the museum’s Learning Center for our monthly Museum Story Time program. Aimed at toddler-age children and their grown-ups, we will gather on the first Friday of each month for a music- or Appalachia-related storybook, a tune or two by WBCM Radio Bristol show host Ella Patrick, and a related activity or coloring sheet. This month we will be doing a fun banjo-art craft!
In February we’ll read from Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors!”
About “Coat of Many Colors”
“Coat of Many Colors” is a children’s picture book written by country music icon Dolly Parton. Published in 1994, the book is based on the autobiographical song of the same name, which Dolly wrote and recorded in 1971. The story, illustrated by Judith Sutton, recounts Dolly’s childhood experience of her mother sewing a coat for her out of colorful rags. Despite the coat being made of simple materials, Dolly cherishes it for the love and sacrifice it represents. The narrative emphasizes themes of family, resilience, and the intrinsic value of cherished memories, offering young readers a heartwarming glimpse into Dolly Parton’s humble upbringing in the Appalachian region.

ONE SLOT LEFT! Cardboard Dulcimer Workshop with Musician Roxanne McDaniel
2024-02-10 13:00 - 2024-02-11 16:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Register now, there’s only one slot left!
Dates: Saturday, February 10 & Sunday, February 11, 2024
Time: 1:00–4:00 p.m. each day
Location: Learning Center, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Registration: :$30+taxes/fees
REGISTER HERE
Have you ever wanted to learn how to play the mountain dulcimer? Here’s an opportunity to not only learn, but also build your very own cardboard dulcimer!
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum is partnering with dulcimer player and instructor Roxanne McDaniel to offer a two-day, weekend class in which you will be able to build a cardboard dulcimer using simple tools. No previous musical or technical experience is necessary.
Participants will learn about the dulcimer, its history, and its importance as they actively take part in keeping this uniquely Appalachian instrument relevant for younger generations. It’s a perfect opportunity for anyone who wants to learn a new instrument, from experienced musicians to complete beginners. The dulcimer is among the most accessible stringed instruments, making it especially suitable for beginners.
This class is open to all ages and will introduce participants to a number of simple playing techniques and beginner-friendly dulcimer tunes. Space is limited to 15 participants, so be sure to reserve your spot before it’s too late!

About Roxanne McDaniel
Roxanne McDaniel is a singer/songwriter and dulcimer player based in Johnson City, Tennessee. A graduate of East Tennessee State University’s Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music Studies program, she has a passion for the dulcimer and for teaching others about it. She leads classes, hosts dulcimer workshops, and incorporates the instrument heavily in her music. She was a 2023 Central Appalachian Living Traditions (CALT) Tradition Bearer Fellow, and her work has seen her featured in (and on the cover of) Dulcimer Players News. She and her band The Big Bad Buzz are currently working on their debut album.

Monthly Country Jam
2024-02-10 14:00 - 17:00, 2024-03-09 14:00 - 17:00, 2024-04-13 14:00 - 17:00, 2024-05-11 14:00 - 17:00, 2024-06-08 14:00 - 17:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Dates: Monthly every 2nd Saturday
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET
Location: Learning Center, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: FREE EVENT
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum hosts a monthly gathering of local musicians for a country jam session focusing on country, old-time and blues music. The jam events are intended to provide a space for local musicians to gather and pick, collaborate, share their experiences, and—most importantly—to have fun!
Country Jams will be held on the second Saturday of each month from 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m., serving as a great warm-up for Saturday night gigs. Musicians are asked to bring their own instruments.
The jams are free and open to the public. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Those just interested in attending as a spectator are also welcome at no charge.
For more information call 423-573-1927.

Speaker Sessions - You and Me: A Journey through Country Music’s Rich Duet Tradition
2024-02-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum (in-person); YouTube (virtual)
Cost: Free and open to the public
RSVP HERE
Join us at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum on Tuesday, February 13, 7:00 p.m. for our February Speaker Sessions with Bailey George and Jessica Stiles. With “You and Me: A Journey through Country Music’s Rich Duet Tradition,” Bailey and Jessica will explore the winding stream of country duets from brother acts of the 1930s to chart topping country pop of the 1970s. Hear the stories and witness the harmonies that birthed an American tradition.
Please note: For those attending virtually via YouTube, the live stream will originate on the Radio Bristol YouTube channel after 6:50pm EST. If you load the channel page before 6:50pm, and the live stream does not automatically appear, please refresh the page after 6:50pm.
Bailey George
Bailey George is a musician, historian, and radio personality. Becoming interested in roots music at a young age, Bailey began collecting, performing, and chronicling the history of American vernacular music, as well as hosting various radio programs across the southeast. Bailey has been hosting Honky Tonk Hit Parade weekly on Radio Bristol since 2016, as well as developing a steady career as a musician with various groups including Bailey George and Jukebox Jess and Bailey George and the Oscillators.
Jessica Stiles
A Yale graduate, Jessica Stiles has had a multi-faceted career in music across many aspects of the industry. As a musician, she has led her own band and has performed at the Country Music Hall of Fame, Ernest Tubb Record Shop, Bluebird Cafe, and on Music City Roots. As an engineer and technical consultant, she has worked on broadcast shows Bluegrass Underground and American Masters on PBS, as well as being a freelance broadcast engineer at 650 AM WSM, home of the Grand Ole Opry. In addition, she has interviewed country music icons such as Mac Wiseman, Ramona Jones, and Marty Stuart. Jessica is a broadcaster and songwriter, currently performing as part of Bailey George and Jukebox Jess as well as under her own name.

Museum Story Time - "Swamp Angel" by Anne Isaacs
2024-03-01 10:30 - 11:30 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Friday, March 1, 2024
Time: 10:30 a.m. EST
Location: The Learning Center, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: Free and open to the public
Join us in the museum’s Learning Center for our monthly Museum Story Time program. Aimed at toddler-age children and their grown-ups, we will gather on the first Friday of each month for a music- or Appalachia-related storybook, a tune or two by WBCM Radio Bristol show host Ella Patrick, and a related activity or coloring sheet. This month we will be doing a fun bear-art craft!
About “Swamp Angel”
Swamp Angel can lasso a tornado, and drink an entire lake dry. She single-handedly defeats the fearsome bear known as Thundering Tarnation, wrestling him from the top of the Great Smoky Mountains to the bottom of a deep lake. Caldecott Medal-winning artist Paul O. Zelinsky’s stunning folk-art paintings are the perfect match for the irony, exaggeration, and sheer good humor of this original tall tale set on the American frontier.
A Caldecott Honor Book
An ALA Notable Book
A Time magazine Best Book of the Year
A New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year
Winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
About the Author

Anne Isaacs (born March 2, 1949) is an American writer of children’s and young adult literature. Isaacs is known as the writer of “Swamp Angel,” a picture book illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky and published by Dutton Children’s Books in 1994. Zelinsky was a runner-up for the annual Caldecott Medal for this work. Her book “Torn Thread,” based on the true story of her mother-in-law who survived a Nazi labor camp, received numerous awards including the Outstanding International Book, Notable Book for a Global Society 2000 from the American Library Association, and Smithsonian Notable Book for Children, among others.

Speaker Sessions: Katlin & Mohsin Kazmi and Chef T on Melding Traditions in Appalachian Foodways
2024-03-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum (in-person); YouTube (virtual)
Cost: Free and open to the public
RSVP HERE
Join us at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum on Tuesday, March 12, 7:00 p.m. for our monthly Speaker Sessions with Katlin & Mohsin Kazmi (The Pakalachian Food Truck) and Chef T (Union 41 Bristol). This program will explore how these regional chefs meld different cultural traditions with Appalachian foodways to create a wonderful and tasty dining experience – from food on the road to a meal in a historic bus station!
Please note: For those attending virtually via YouTube, the live stream will originate on the Radio Bristol YouTube channel after 6:50pm EST. If you load the channel page before 6:50pm, and the live stream does not automatically appear, please refresh the page after 6:50pm.
About Katlin and Mohsin: The Pakalachian Food Truck
Katlin Wohlford Kazmi is the Executive Director of the Region VII Virtual Academy and co-owner of The Pakalachian Food Truck. Katlin obtained her Masters in Education from the University of Virginia in 2012 and her Educational Specialist in Policy and Administration from Virginia Tech in 2014. Climbing the educational ladder from teacher to assistant principal, she now works collaboratively with 18 rural school divisions in Virginia’s Region 7. Named as one of 2020’s 40 under Forty in the Business Journal of the Tri-Cities, Katlin advocates for creating opportunities to keep hardworking people living and working in the mountains she calls home. Most recently, Katlin co-founded To The Brim, a nonprofit aiming to provide economic opportunities and cultural experiences to the people of Southwest Virginia.
Mohsin Kazmi is an entrepreneur, public speaker, food truck owner, and conservation photographer specializing in tropical jungle ecosystems. Mohsin graduated with his Bachelor of Science from Virginia Tech. He is CEO and Board Member of Junglekeepers, a nonprofit working in the Madre de Dios region of Peru to protect 50,000 hectares of rainforest and create sustainable opportunities for local Peruvians. Mohsin helped build Tamandua Expeditions, a conservation-based ecotourism company that specializes in educational trips to the same region of Peru. Mohsin is a two-time TEDx Speaker and a published conservation photographer. His photography has been featured in Mongabay, Environment 360, Ecology.com, The Rainforest Alliance, New York Times, and The United Nations International Forum on Forests, among others. Locally, he is the Resident Naturalist and Marketing Photographer for Nicewonder Farms and Vineyards and co-owner of The Pakalachian Food Truck.
About Chef T: Union 41 Bristol
With a passion for food that began as a child when she watched her grandmother feed their community from her tiny kitchen on the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Chef T has become a decorated and respected Chef within the food service industry. As a founder of “Chef T Culinary Concepts,” she strives to provide her culinary vision and love of food to those that she cooks with as well as those that she serves. Her best-selling cookbook PARADIGM: A Macro Manifesto to Food, is a lifestyle cookbook that further honors her vision of food as a celebration of life. She is the owner and Executive Chef of Union 41 Bristol.

Letterpress Workshop with the Museum and King University
2024-03-16 13:00 - 16:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024
Time: 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET (optional additional activity afterwards)
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Learning Center
Cost: $20 + tax/fees
REGISTER HERE
Join us on Saturday, March 16, 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum for a letterpress workshop led by David Winship and Lee Jones.
Letterpress printing originated in the mid-15th century with Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the movable type printing press. In letterpress printing, raised metal type or plates are inked and pressed onto paper, creating an impression of the text or image. This technique revolutionized the dissemination of information and played a crucial role in the spread of literacy and knowledge during the Renaissance and beyond. Despite advancements in printing technology, letterpress printing remains cherished for its tactile quality and vintage aesthetic, often utilized in artisanal and specialty printing projects today.
This workshop will include a talk about the history of letterpress printing, a hands-on introduction to some of its elements (e.g. block letters), and an opportunity to use a portable poster press. Each participant will leave the workshop with a special workshop-themed poster that they have printed themselves.
Attendees will also get a guided tour of our current special exhibit, A Cardboard History of Blue Ridge Music, which is based on letterpress-printed concert and performance posters and show cards. Following the 2-hour workshop, interested participants are invited to go with David and Lee to King University to tour the Sign of the George, the university’s working letterpress, and to share some refreshments. There is a limit of 20 participants so sign up now!
This program goes along with our current special exhibit and is offered in partnership with King University.

David Winship
David Winship is a native of Bristol, Tennessee, and he grew up with the Sign of the George letterpress at King College, now King University. His father started the press as an educational tool, and David learned the ins and outs of the press there. Following a career in public education, David has retired to his home place in Bristol and is operating the press at King with the support of the Digital Media Art and Design department.
Lee Jones
Lee Jones is an Assistant Professor of Photography and Digital Media at King University. Originally from Bristol, Virginia, he also works professionally in the community as a commercial photographer and digital marketer. When he’s not with his family, he is teaching, creating images, making music in the community,
or volunteering for local art organizations. You can see more of his work on his website at: HerbertLeeJonesPhotography.com.

Museum Story Time - "Lorraine: The Girl Who Sang the Storm Away" by Ketch Secor
2024-04-05 10:30 - 11:30 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Friday, April 5, 2024
Time: 10:30 a.m. EST
Location: The Learning Center, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: Free and open to the public
Join us in the museum’s Learning Center for our monthly Museum Story Time program. Aimed at toddler-age children and their grown-ups, we will gather on the first Friday of each month for a music- or Appalachia-related storybook, a tune or two by WBCM Radio Bristol show host Ella Patrick, and a related activity or coloring sheet. This month we will be doing a fun rain cloud craft!
About “Lorraine: The Girl Who Sang the Storm Away”
An Amazon Best Book of the Month!
Lorraine and her Pa Paw spend their days celebrating life with the music of the Tennessee hills. With Pa Paw’s harmonica and Lorraine’s pennywhistle, the pair can face just about anything. But when a fearsome storm rolls in and their instruments are nowhere to be found, can Lorraine find the music inside herself to get them through?
About the Author

Old Crow Medicine Show founder and Grammy award-winning musician Ketch Secor teams up with Ashley Bryan Award-winning illustrator Higgins Bond to create this sweeping, epic Americana story about the power of music and family.

Speaker Sessions: Celene Aubry on Hatch Show Print
2024-04-09 19:00 - 20:30 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum (in-person); YouTube (virtual)
Cost: Free and open to the public
RSVP HERE
Join us at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum on Tuesday, April 9, 7:00 p.m. for our monthly Speaker Sessions with Celene Aubry exploring the history and work of Hatch Show Print (HSP), a letterpress poster and design shop located in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1879, HSP is still designing and printing over 600 jobs a year, using the original wood type found on countless posters advertising carnivals, circuses, and vaudeville and minstrel shows of years gone by, combined with handcarved imagery that spans the history of the shop. Though the 144-year-old business is known for its 20th century country music posters, the work the shop has put out over five generations in operation reflects changes in technology, communication arts, and commerce, as well as the evolution of popular entertainment. Celene will also be revealing a “surprise poster” during this program!
In-person attendees can enjoy a curator-led tour of the museum’s current special exhibit A Cardboard History of Blue Ridge Music at 6:15pm, which features several historic Hatch Show Print posters.
Please note: For those attending virtually via YouTube, the live stream will originate on the Radio Bristol YouTube channel after 6:50pm EST. If you load the channel page before 6:50pm, and the live stream does not automatically appear, please refresh the page after 6:50pm.
About Celene Aubry
Celene Aubry is the Director and Print Shop Manager at Hatch Show Print, one of America’s oldest surviving letterpress show poster and design shops. While the business thrives as a letterpress, expanded programming includes a visiting artist program, a gallery showcasing print-centric art, and hands-on tours and workshops from the education space. In between poster runs and whatnot, Celene also enjoys analog photography, making cyanotypes and van Dyke photoprints specifically.
About Hatch Show Print
Opened in 1879, Hatch Show Print is recognized around the world for its 19th- and 20th-century posters and billboards advertising the stars of country music, rock n’ roll, jazz, carnivals,
circuses, and variety shows. This tradition continues today with its limited-edition prints and posters for shows and artists appearing live in the 21st century, as well as prints, cards, gifts and more designed by the shop’s staff who draw inspiration from the vast collection of wood and metal type and handcarved print blocks created in the shop.
You can follow Hatch Show Print via their Instagram and X (Twitter) @hatchshowprint and on Facebook.

Community Square Dance: A Partnership with Bristol Ballet
2024-04-20 18:30 - 21:00 | Bristol Ballet, 330 Buford Street, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Saturday, April 20, 2024
Time: 6:30 p.m. Eastern
Location: Bristol Ballet, 330 Buford St, Bristol, VA 24201 (Please park at the back of the building and go in the entrance framed by columns)
Cost: Free but any donations at the door will support the museum and Bristol Ballet.
RSVP HERE
Come do-si-do and promenade with us!
Join the Birthplace of Country Music and Bristol Ballet for a community square dance on Saturday, April 20. Caller Tyler Hughes will lead a short introduction to dance steps at 6:30pm, followed by a full square dance with a lively string band at 7:00pm.
This event is open to all ages and no experience or partner is required; we recommend sturdy shoes so you can dance all night! Space is limited so sign up to participate soon!

Museum Story Time - "Little Rosetta and the Talking Guitar: The Musical Story of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the Woman Who Invented Rock and Roll" by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow
2024-05-03 10:30 - 11:30 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Friday, May 3, 2024
Time: 10:30 a.m. EST
Location: The Learning Center, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: Free and open to the public
Join us in the museum’s Learning Center for our monthly Museum Story Time program. Aimed at toddler-age children and their grown-ups, we will gather on the first Friday of each month for a music- or Appalachia-related storybook, a tune or two by WBCM Radio Bristol show host Ella Patrick, and a related activity or coloring sheet. This month we will be doing a fun guitar-art craft!
About “ Little Rosetta and the Talking Guitar: The Musical Story of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the Woman Who Invented Rock and Roll”
A picture-book biography of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the woman who invented rock and roll—a warm, inspiring tale of a childhood filled with music, community, and a drive to succeed.
“Music is the heart of our story,” says Momma to young Rosetta, surprising her with her first guitar. Rosetta’s strums sound like ker-plunks. But with practice and determination, she makes music, fingers hopping “like corn in a kettle,” notes pouring over the church crowd “like summer rain washing the dust off a new day.”
In this stunning picture book, author and illustrator Charnelle Pinkney Barlow imagines the childhood of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, whose rural roots inspired the music we still hear today.
Young readers will see a child’s dream become reality through hard work and perseverance. And they’ll learn the overlooked story of a pioneering Black artist, whose contribution to music history is only now being discovered.
About the Author

Charnelle Pinkney Barlow is an Illustrator, expert tea drinker, and a lover of donuts. Born and raised in Poughkeepsie, New York, her love of the arts grew after being introduced to the world of watercolor by her grandfather and award winning children’s book illustrator Jerry Pinkney. Creating images and stories that speak to the hearts of children and those that guide them is her greatest joy. Charnelle received her BFA in Illustration from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and her MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay from the School of Visual Arts in New York, New York. She now lives in Indianapolis, Indiana with her husband Jukabiea.

BCM Museum 10th Anniversary Pop-up show feat. Wyatt Ellis
2024-05-09 19:00 - 20:30 | VA
Date: Thursday, May 9, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $35 (plus Bristol, Va. admissions tax/ticket agent fee)
BUY TICKETS
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and one of the ways we’re celebrating is with special pop-up concert by East Tennessee’s own mandolin prodigy, Wyatt Ellis! More anniversary events to be announced, so stay tuned!
About Wyatt Ellis

Born in the rich music bed of East Tennessee, Wyatt Ellis has quickly become one of the most-watched young musicians in bluegrass music. In a recent review, Billboard magazine stated, “Ellis has quickly cemented himself as a sterling newcomer in the bluegrass scene.” A true statement, as evidenced when his debut single, “Grassy Cove,” went to #1 on the Bluegrass Today charts, and his second single, “Get Lost,” debuted on the same chart at #5. He was also recently tapped to make an appearance at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival, and on November 10 received a standing ovation while making his debut on the Grand Ole Opry.
A devotee of Bill Monroe, Ellis has been mentored by many iconic musicians, including Sierra Hull, Bobby Osborne, and Mike Compton. Ellis has studied with mandolin masters, composed his own original instrumentals, and transitioned from playing alone in his living room to performing seamlessly alongside bluegrass legends and Hall of Famers. In his two short years on the scene, Ellis has morphed into a multi-instrumentalist and has been invited to perform on stage with some of the most iconic musicians of this era, including Billy Strings, Dierks Bentley, Peter Rowan, Sam Bush, Dailey & Vincent, and Marty Stuart.

Speaker Sessions: Dave Eggar and Len Cook on Composing a Champion
2024-05-14 19:00 - 20:30 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum (in-person); YouTube (virtual)
Cost: Free and open to the public
RSVP HERE
Join us at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum on Tuesday, May 14, 7:00 p.m. for our monthly Speaker Sessions with Dave Eggar and Len Cook on “Composing a Champion: A New Horizon in Professional Performance.”
It takes courage to follow your dreams and create something unique. In 1927, the people who came to Bristol to record showed that courage and sparked a revolution in music. For generations, Bristolians embraced their art and heritage with unwavering tenacity to get Bristol recognized as the birthplace of country music. Dave Eggar and Len Cook – two high-level performers who understand the characteristics of a successful artist and what qualities contribute to courage, resilience, and confidence – have taken the collective experiences, habits, strategies, and mindsets that have led them to success on the stage and in the ring across the country to discuss strategies for overcoming self-doubt, performance anxiety, and the limits we put on ourselves. With this Speaker Sessions, Dave and Len will share how they developed their program “Composing a Champion,” their experience taking it on the road to 25 colleges to work with artist-side confidence-building and finding their unique voice, and the impact this work has had. Taking inspiration from the early pioneers of Bristol, both then and now, join us on this journey to a new horizon in performance.
Please note: For those attending virtually via YouTube, the live stream will originate on the Radio Bristol YouTube channel after 6:50pm EST. If you load the channel page before 6:50pm, and the live stream does not automatically appear, please refresh the page after 6:50pm.
About Dave Eggar and Len Cook
Dave Eggar is a five-time Grammy-nominated virtuoso cellist, Harvard graduate, and Ivy League college professor. Over the past 2 1/2 decades, Dave has been a first-call cellist and string arranger for superstars like Coldplay, Evanescence, John Legend, Lewis Capaldi and Bebe Rexha and Foreigner. He is a regular performer at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion.
Len Cook is a career martial artist with over 20 years of experience. He is a professional MMA fighter, undefeated professional kickboxer, and owner and head coach of Champion Striking and Fitness in Bristol, Virginia. As a competitor, Len climbed his way up the ranks and quickly claimed 3 Bantamweight champion titles and was ranked as number 1 Bantamweight fighter in the Southeast region.

Museum Story Time - "She Sang for the Mountains: The Story of Singer, Songwriter, Activist Jean Ritchie" by Shannon Hitchcock
2024-06-07 10:30 - 11:30 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Friday, June 7, 2024
Time: 10:30 a.m. EST
Location: The Learning Center, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: Free and open to the public
Join us in the museum’s Learning Center for our monthly Museum Story Time program. Aimed at toddler-age children and their grown-ups, we will gather on the first Friday of each month for a music- or Appalachia-related storybook, a tune or two by WBCM Radio Bristol show host Ella Patrick, and a related activity or coloring sheet. This month we will be doing a fun mountain-art craft!
About “ She Sang for the Mountains: The Story of Singer, Songwriter, Activist Jean Ritchie”
This lyrical picture book biography of songwriter and activist Jean Ritchie-Singer traces her life from the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky to New York City and beyond as her protest songs inspired a nation. The author and illustrator previously teamed up for the stunning biography Saving Granddaddy’s Stories: Ray Hicks, the Voice of Appalachia.
About the Author

Shannon Hitchcock was born in North Carolina and grew up in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. She is the author of four middle grade novels, Flying Over Water, One True Way, Ruby Lee & Me, and The Ballad of Jessie Pearl. Her books have been featured on many state award lists and have received acclaimed reviews. Saving Granddaddy’s Stories is Shannon’s debut picture book. She recently moved to Asheville, North Carolina, where she can see the mountains every day.

JAM Kids in Concert
2024-06-08 10:30 - 11:30 | VA
Date: Saturday, June 8, 2024
Time: 10:30 a.m. ET
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
FREE EVENT!
Since October of 2023, JAM Kids have worked hard each week at the museum earning their chops on guitar, banjo and fiddle in a group learning atmosphere. On Saturday, June 8 they’ll come together to perform a concert for friends and family–and the public is invited to attend at no cost! Join us in the museum’s performance theater to see what these amazing students have learned over the past eight months; we are very excited for you to see their progress and to learn more about JAM Kids!
About JAM Kids
Junior Appalachian Musicians is a non-profit and the parent organization for 50+ after-school programs for children in grades 4 – 8. We provide communities with the tools and support they need to teach children to play and dance to traditional old-time and bluegrass music. JAM introduces music through small group instruction on instruments common to the Appalachian region, such as fiddle, banjo and guitar. Each JAM program is individually operated and funded. By affiliating with the JAM organization, each program is eligible to receive support and resources for free and is licensed to use “Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM)” to identify their traditional music education program.

Speaker Sessions: Andrew Finn Magill on the Relationships between Irish, Scottish, and American Fiddle Styles
2024-06-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum (in-person); YouTube (virtual)
Cost: Free and open to the public
RSVP HERE
Join us at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum on Tuesday, June 11, 7:00 p.m. for our monthly Speaker Sessions with musician Andrew Finn Magill on “The Relationships between Irish, Scottish, and American Fiddle Styles: An Immigration Story.” The traditional dance music of the southern US is inextricably linked with the music of Scotland and Ireland. Andrew was born in the Appalachian mountains into an Irish-American family that plays Irish music. Since his earliest memories, the fiddling traditions from both sides of the Atlantic have been ever present in his life and musical career. In this interactive presentation, we will explore how the history of Scottish and Irish immigration has influenced the evolution of traditional southern fiddling. Andrew will demonstrate various fiddle styles, bowing techniques, and repertoires, and the audience can ask questions. The performance is meant to be participatory and inspire larger conversations about immigration, identity, and Irish and Scottish music’s place in the larger tapestry of Southern culture.
Please note: For those attending virtually via YouTube, the live stream will originate on the Radio Bristol YouTube channel after 6:50pm EST. If you load the channel page before 6:50pm, and the live stream does not automatically appear, please refresh the page after 6:50pm.

About Andrew Finn Magill
For twenty years North Carolina-native violinist/fiddler Andrew Finn Magill has been pursuing parallel careers in traditional Irish music, Brazilian choro, jazz and American fiddle. Magill learned from the best fiddlers in the world at The Swannanoa Gathering and has gone on to be a performer and headliner at festivals including Celtic Connections in Glasgow Scotland, Malawi’s prestigious Lake of Stars Festival, and Milwaukee Irishfest. He is a Fulbright fellow, North Carolina Arts Council Fellow and has been featured on MTV, TEDx, and multiple times on NPR.

His 2016 album Roots (featuring Cillian Vallely of Lúnasa and John Doyle) debuted at number #46 on the folk DJ charts and he has released seven albums since resulting in a record deal with Ropeadope Records. He has performed with everyone from Grammy-nominees John Doyle and Trio Brasileiro to Rising Appalachia. In 2020 he released the EP Half Light with former Paul McKenna Bandmate Seán Gray and full-length album Murray & Magill with Scottish singer and guitar & bouzouki-player Alan Murray (Colin Farrell Band). In 2023 he released The Polaris Project on Ropeadope Records, the follow up to 2021’s Festa! on the same label, and his quartet is represented by Marsalis Mansion Artists.
“I’m gonna keep listening for Finn Magill.” ~ Grammy-winner Tim O’Brien
“It’s nice to see fresh, young musicians carrying on the traditions of Brazilian music. Finn Magill displays a love and authenticity that can fool you into thinking he is from Brazil. His style is playful and light, yet soulful and passionate. Congratulations!” ~ Airto Moreira (Miles Davis, Weather Report, Chick Corea)
“Serene and incredibly soulful, North Carolina fiddler Andrew Finn Magill encounters the tradition in a manner reminiscent of Keith Jarrett on The Melody at Night With You.” ~ The Irish Times
“Andrew Finn Magill is a leading fiddler in a new generation of musicians.” ~ BBC Folk Musician of the year Martin Hayes
“Magill’s fresh, clear tones calls to mind Stéphane Grappelli…” ~ Songlines Magazine
“The solo concert Finn gave at our Fellowship felt like traveling to other cultures and continents with an enthusiastic musical tour guide! From Ghana to Ireland to the Appalachian mountains, we got to experience an incredible variety of music exquisitely performed.” ~ Sara Davis, Music Director Miami Valley UU Church
“What sets him apart from other virtuoso violinists and fiddlers is his incredible range of musical interests”. ~Willard Watson Program & Outreach Director, Blowing Rock Art & History Museum
“He interlaced musical pieces with information on the history of Celtic music in the south, his personal journey and connection to the music, and humor.” ~ Stephenie Berggrun, CIT NC Certified Environmental Educator Schiele Museum of Natural History

SOLD OUT! 1927 Concert Series with Special Guest Pokey LaFarge
2024-06-22 18:00 - 21:00 | VA
Sorry, tickets to this event are now SOLD OUT!
The Birthplace of Country Music proudly presents the intimate 1927 Concert Series experience featuring live music by Pokey LaFarge.
Date: Saturday, June 22, 2024
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $100

The 1927 Concert Series is an intimate concert experience set in the “acoustically perfect” performance theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. It’s more than a night of music, it’s a very personal event with some of the most renowned roots music artists performing today. Guests are asked to arrive promptly at 6:00 p.m. to enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and an open bar before the show (ages 21+ with valid ID), food and drinks included with ticket.
Members of the Birthplace of Country Music’s 1927 Society are given access to exclusive ticket pre-sales to the 1927 Concert Series before they go on sale to the public. To learn more about becoming a member of the 1927 Society and all its advantages, click here.
About Pokey LaFarge
After crisscrossing the nation for the last half-decade looking for home, Pokey LaFarge found himself in Mid-Coast Maine. Upon arriving, the Illinois-born singer/songwriter/actor pursued a major life change, working 12-hour days on a local farm—a turn of events that catalyzed an extraordinary burst of creativity and redefined his sense of purpose as an artist. On his new album Rhumba Country, LaFarge reveals his newly heightened devotion to making music that channels pure joy. “There was a time when I glorified sadness because I lost sight of who I was, but now I understand that creating and expressing joy is my gift, and gifts are meant to be shared,” he says. Reclaiming his voice, LaFarge has recorded his boldest album yet.
Rhumba Country was initially shaped from material that emerged while LaFarge was deep in work on the farm. “I’d be pushing a plow or scattering seeds, and the songs would just come to me,” he recalls. “It was tremendously inspirational and made me realize that apart from singing, farming is perhaps the oldest human art form.” But as he moved forward with his songwriting, something felt undeniably amiss. LaFarge then spoke with fellow Midwestern transplant Elliot Bergman (Wild Belle), who suggested he return to city life in Los Angeles for a season so that the two musicians could work together—a collaboration that soon brought the rhumba to LaFarge’s country. As he immersed himself in the album’s creation, LaFarge began dreaming up a kaleidoscopic sound informed by his love of music from far-ranging eras and corners of the globe, including mambo, tropicália, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock-and-roll. Co-produced along with Chris Seefried and Bergman and recorded in L.A., the resulting Rhumba Country is an invitation to come together to celebrate life and love. “The songs that naturally come to me are upbeat and make you wanna dance or at least bop your head—they’re all very colorful,” says LaFarge. “I used to think of my music in dark blue, but now I see it in technicolor.”
Reflecting on the origins of Rhumba Country, LaFarge points to one of the most crucial revelations he experienced while farming: a newfound understanding of the uniquely human potential to be “conduits of continuous creation.” To that end, his effort to provide listeners with “medicine for the soul” has led LaFarge toward a deeper level of dedication when it comes to nurturing his own spirit. “You have to live the life you’re singing in your songs—no matter what you’re going through,” he says. “Everything will come out in your music whether you want it to or not. I’ve realized that the more I can pursue goodness and live in peace, the more I can make the music I was put here to make.” And by living with intention and fully connecting with his truest purpose, LaFarge might finally be ready to lay his head in a place he calls home.
For more information about Pokey LaFarge and to purchase his music, visit PokeyLaFarge.net.

Museum Story Time - "Cowboy Bunnies" by Christine Loomis
2024-07-05 10:30 - 11:30 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Friday, July 5, 2024
Time: 10:30 a.m. EST
Location: The Learning Center, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: Free and open to the public
Join us in the museum’s Learning Center for our monthly Museum Story Time program. Aimed at toddler-age children and their grown-ups, we will gather on the first Friday of each month for a music- or Appalachia-related storybook, a tune or two by WBCM Radio Bristol show host Ella Patrick, and a related activity or coloring sheet. This month we will be doing a fun bunny-art craft!
About “ Cowboy Bunnies”
Cowboy bunnies get up early to spend the day riding horses, roping cows, tossing hay, and enjoying a feast around the campfire, but when the day is over, they head home to put on pajamas, listen to a lullaby, and head for bed to dream of their wonderful adventures.
About the Author

Christine Loomis may have a habit of writing picture books on long car trips with her family, but “Cowboy Bunnies” was written on a plane trip. Her inspiration came from a dream her mother had one night, of bunnies in cowboy outfits, jumping hurdles.
An editor, writer, and children’s book reviewer, Ms. Loomis loves in Boulder, Colorado, with her husband, their three children, and one bunny. She has written several children’s books, and this is her first for Putnam

Speaker Sessions: After the Big Bang: A Record Collector's Journey of Local Independent Record Labels with Lonnie Salyer
2024-07-09 19:00 - 20:30 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Tuesday, July 9, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum (in-person); YouTube (virtual)
Cost: Free and open to the public
RSVP HERE
Join us on Tuesday, July 9, 7:00 p.m. as we host Lonnie Salyer (Big Lon) on “After The Big Bang: A Record Collector’s Discovery of Local Independent Record Labels” for our next Speaker Sessions! Big Lon will share his journey from novice record collector to local music historian, providing an overview of the independent recording studios, record labels, and artists of the Tri- Cities region. In this Speaker Session, Big Lon takes us behind the scenes of his collecting journey and radio show by sharing his digging experiences along with local vintage 78rpm and 45rpm records he’ll display and play for us.
Please note: For those attending virtually via YouTube, the live stream will originate on the Radio Bristol YouTube channel after 6:50pm EST. If you load the channel page before 6:50pm, and the live stream does not automatically appear, please refresh the page after 6:50pm.
About Lonnie Salyer
Lonnie Salyer, aka Big Lon, is a local music historian who has combined his love of history and music to build a collection of rare, locally recorded 45rpm and 78rpm records. Lonnie hosts the
weekly show Diggin’ With Big Lon on WBCM Radio Bristol. He has appeared in articles, podcasts, blogs, and on TV shows related to regional music history. Occasionally you can catch Lon doing a live record-spinning DJ set at breweries and tap rooms throughout the region. You can follow Big Lon on Facebook at Big Lon’s Crateful Dig. This summer Big Lon will be hosting the 3rd Annual Big Lon’s Vinyl Record Expo for Kingsport Funfest.

Workshop: Introduction to Oral History Methods
2024-07-14 15:00 - 16:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Sunday, July 14
Time: 3:00-4:00pm
Location: Learning Center, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: FREE but registration is required due to limited capacity
REGISTER HERE
This Introduction to Oral History Methods workshop will provide an introduction to the method of recording oral histories, or extended life story interviews. Taught by Virginia state folklorist Katy Clune, participants will gain an introduction to the ethics, techniques, technology, and processing of interviews. With nothing more than your phone and your curiosity, you can start recording the precious memories of family and community members around you. Clune will share her experience and advice based on interviewing hundreds of people in the last decade.
About Katy Clune

Katy Clune is Virginia’s state folklorist and director of the Virginia Folklife Program, which serves to sustain and empower the vital and diverse cultures and traditions of communities across the Commonwealth.
Katy has dedicated her career to forging connections between people through culture and creating platforms for communities and artists to tell their stories and expand the reach of their voices. She has worked for educational and cultural organizations including the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, The Textile Museum, the Center for the Study of the American South at UNC Chapel Hill, and, most recently, Duke University’s arts initiative.
In 2021, she received an Archie Green Fellowship from the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress to interview repair professionals across North Carolina. She has her BA in art history from UC Berkeley and her MA in folklore from UNC Chapel Hill. Raised in the Foreign Service, she has called six countries and both US coasts home. Outside of work, Katy sews, plays with printmaking, and aspires to turn her backyard into a cut flower farm.

Teacher In-Service Workshops at the Museum -- SPACE FULL
2024-07-15 09:00 - 2024-07-16 15:00 | VA
We are now at capacity for this year’s teacher in-service workshops. However, you can put your name on the waiting list by emailing rrodgers@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org, and we will let you know if a place opens up.
Dates: Monday, July 15, 2024 (Elementary)
Tuesday, July 16, 2024 (Middle & High School)
Time: 9:00am – 3:00pm
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: FREE
Professional Development Credit: Six (6) hours
This summer the Birthplace of Country Music Museum (BCMM) is offering free K-12 Teacher In-Service Workshops, scheduled for Monday, July 15 (elementary) and Tuesday, July 16 (middle and high school). Each workshop will consist of:

8:30–9:00am – Sign in, pick up educator packets, enjoy doughnuts and coffee
9:00am–12:00pm – Birthplace of Country Music Museum activities and resources
12:00–12:30pm – Lunch (provided)
12:30–3:00pm – “Folklife Across the Curriculum: An Expedition to the Local” Local Learning and Virginia Humanities activities and resources (also relevant to TN educators)

With the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, educators will get an introductory museum tour, exploring the different TN and VA state standards that connect with museum content, including ELA, social sciences, music, STEM, and physical education; an introduction to museum-based lesson plans; a chance to experience Banjo Bingo and/or Instrument Petting Zoo; and access to a variety of educational resources.
The second part of the workshop – featuring Paddy Bowman Founding Director, Local Learning: The National Network for Folk Arts in Education; Katy Clune, Director, Virginia Folklife Program; Peter Hedlund, Director, Encyclopedia Virginia; and Emma Ito, Director of Education, Virginia Humanities – will explore “Folklife Across the Curriculum: An Expedition to the Local.” From rockabilly to hip-hop, hot rods to regalia making, memes to manners, local folklife can enliven learning across disciplines and grade levels. This workshop calls on the traditions of home, school, and community as pathways to deepen students’ understanding of culture, heighten their sense of identity, and inspire critical thinking. Local Learning and these three Virginia Humanities programs will offer free resources, content, and more, all while exploring the ethnographic tools of interviewing, writing, sketching, and analyzing artifacts. Participants can expect hands-on engagement, collaborative learning, and fresh perspectives about the dynamic nature of folklife and the humanities and why they matter in preparing young people to face the future in our complex world. Please note: While this part of the workshop is led by Virginia organizations, the content included will also be relevant to educators from Tennessee.
Teachers will each receive an educator packet with information about the three organizations and their resources, classroom and other swag, a complimentary ticket to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, a VISA gift card, and six (6) hours of professional development (licensure) credit. There will also be door/raffle prizes!
Sign up today for a distinctively fun and educational professional development opportunity to learn more about a variety of learning resources and ideas!
